People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Pakistan
Pakistan: People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) was 13.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Pakistan, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
In 2024, people practicing open defecation, rural in Pakistan stood at 13.0%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.7% on the previous year and down 51.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Pakistan peaked at 42.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 13.0%, in 2024.
Pakistan ranks 39th of 171 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 42.2% | — |
| 2001 | 42.2% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 42.2% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 42.2% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 40.8% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 39.4% | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 38.0% | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 36.6% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 35.2% | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 33.8% | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 32.4% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 29.7% | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 28.3% | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 26.9% | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 25.5% | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 24.1% | -5.5% |
| 2017 | 22.7% | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 21.3% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 19.9% | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 17.1% | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 15.7% | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 14.4% | -8.8% |
| 2024 | 13.0% | -9.7% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 13.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.0%, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 13.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.1%, 231.3× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.2% | 33.8% | 42.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.2% | 19.9% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.7% | 13.0% | 18.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More health data for Pakistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.14 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8219 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 55,286 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 335 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5028 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0616 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.4109 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0643 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Pakistan?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Pakistan was 13.0% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 42.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.0% in 2024.
- How does Pakistan rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Pakistan ranks 39th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
People practicing open defecation refers to the percentage of the population defecating in the open, such as in fields, forest, bushes, open bodies of water, on beaches, in other open spaces or disposed of with solid waste.